Lobelia plant named ‘KLELE12094’

ABSTRACT

A new  Lobelia  plant particularly distinguished by blue flowers with no eyes and a compact and upright growth habit, is disclosed.

Genus and species: Lobelia erinus.

Variety denomination: ‘KLELE12094’.

BACKGROUND OF THE NEW PLANT

The present invention comprises a new and distinct variety of Lobelia,botanically known as Lobelia erinus, and hereinafter referred to by thevariety name ‘KLELE12094’. ‘KLELE12094’ originated from a controlledcross conducted in September 2008 in Stuttgart, Germany between theproprietary female Lobelia variety ‘B 067’ (unpatented) having mediumvigor and the male Lobelia variety TECHNO HEAT ‘Upright Blue’ (patentstatus unknown), having light blue flowers with eyes.

The seeds from the cross were sown and plants were grown in a greenhousefor evaluation, where an individual plant designated ‘KLELE12094’ wasselected from the group of plants in May 2009, having blue flowers withno eyes and compact growth habit. In May 2009 ‘KLELE12094’ was firstvegetatively propagated by tissue culture and vegetative cuttings.‘KLELE12094’ was found to reproduce true to type in successivegenerations of asexual propagation via tissue culture and vegetativecuttings.

CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Plant Breeder's Rights for ‘KLELE12094’ were applied for in Canada onFeb. 8, 2013, Application No. 13-7918. ‘KLELE12094’ has not been madepublicly available or sold more than one year prior to the filing dateof this application.

SUMMARY

The following are the most outstanding and distinguishingcharacteristics of this new variety when grown under normalhorticultural practices in Stuttgart, Germany.

-   -   1. Blue flowers with no eyes; and    -   2. A compact vigor and upright growth habit.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

This new Lobelia plant is illustrated by the accompanying photographwhich shows the plant's overall plant habit including form, foliage, andflowers. The photograph is of a four-month-old plant grown in agreenhouse in Stuttgart, Germany in May 2012. The colors shown are astrue as can be reasonably obtained by conventional photographicprocedures.

DESCRIPTION OF THE NEW VARIETY

The following detailed descriptions set forth the distinctivecharacteristics of ‘KLELE12094’. The data which define thesecharacteristics were collected from asexual reproductions carried out inStuttgart, Germany. Data was collected on three-month-old plants grownin a greenhouse in Stuttgart, Germany in April 2013. Color referencesare to The R.H.S. Colour Chart of The Royal Horticultural Society ofLondon (R.H.S.), 5^(th) edition (2007).

-   Classification:    -   -   Family.—Campanulaceae.        -   Botanical.—Lobelia erinus.        -   Common.—Lobelia.        -   Designation.—‘KLELE12094’.        -   Parentage.—Female parent: The proprietary Lobelia variety ‘B            067’ (unpatented). Male parent: The Lobelia variety TECHNO            HEAT ‘Upright Blue’ (patent status unknown).-   Growth:    -   -   Growth and branching habit.—Compact and upright.        -   Form.—Rounded.        -   Height (measured from top of soil including flowers).—8.0            cm.        -   Width (horizontal plant diameter including any            flowers).—15.0 cm.        -   Outdoor plant performance.—Very good.        -   Time to produce a finished flowering plant.—7 weeks.        -   Time to initiate and develop roots.—2 weeks.        -   Root description.—Fine, white.-   Leaves:    -   -   Arrangement.—Alternate.        -   Color, immature and mature leaf.—Upper surface: RHS 137A.            Lower surface: RHS 138C.        -   Length.—3.0 cm to 4.5 cm.        -   Width.—0.5 cm to 1.5 cm.        -   Shape.—Elliptical to lanceolate (upper leaves are more            lanceolate).        -   Apex.—Obtuse.        -   Base.—Acute.        -   Margin.—Serrate (lanceolate leaves partly with entire            margins).        -   Texture (both upper and lower surfaces).—Hairy.        -   Venation type.—Pinnate.-   Stems:    -   -   Length.—5.0 cm to 7.0 cm.        -   Diameter.—0.2 cm to 0.3 cm.        -   Internode length.—0.3 cm to 1.7 cm.        -   Color.—RHS 139B.        -   Anthocyanin.—Absent.        -   Texture and appearance.—Hairy.        -   Peduncle.—Length: 2.0 cm to 2.5 cm. Diameter: 0.05 cm.            Texture: Smooth. Color: RHS 139B.-   Flower buds:    -   -   Shape.—Inverse drop.        -   Length.—About 0.8 cm.        -   Diameter.—0.25 cm.        -   Color (at tight bud).—RHS N79B.-   Inflorescence:    -   -   Blooming habit.—Continuous.        -   Lastingness of individual blooms on the plant.—About 1 week.        -   Fragrance.—Absent.        -   Inflorescence type.—Raceme.        -   Quantity of flowers and buds per flowering branch.—8 to 12.-   Flowers:    -   -   Flower diameter.—2.0 cm.        -   Flower height.—0.8 cm.        -   Mature flower.—Upper lobe: Color upper surface: RHS 99C.            Color lower surface: RHS 93C. Length: 0.6 cm. Width: 0.2 cm.            Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Margin: Entire. Texture,            both upper and lower surfaces: Smooth. Lower lobes: Color,            upper surface: RHS 99C. Color, lower surface: RHS 97D            towards the bottom, RHS 96D towards the tip. Length: 1.0 cm.            Width: 0.7 cm. Shape: Obovate. Apex: Obtuse. Margin: Entire.            Texture, both upper and lower surfaces: Smooth. Corolla            tube: Color inside: RHS NN155D (White) with RHS 96D blue            pattern. Color outside: RHS NN155D (White). Tube length:            0.8 cm. Diameter: 0.3 cm. Calyx: Length: 0.3 cm fused part            and 1.0 cm for non-fused part. Diameter: 0.1 cm. Shape:            Funnel, star-shaped (sepals are fused in lower half). Apex:            Acute. Texture: Hairy. Color: RHS 137A.-   Reproductive organs:    -   -   Stamens.—Quantity: 5. Filament length: 0.5 cm. Filament            color: RHS 96C. Anther color: RHS N77C. Anther length:            0.2 cm. Anther width: 0.1 cm. Pollen amount: Moderate.            Pollen color: Greyed-yellow.        -   Pistils.—Quantity per flower: 1. Pistil length: 0.7 cm.            Stigma color: RHS N92A (Greyed-violet). Stigma shape:            Rounded, two-sided. Style length: 0.6 cm. Style color: RHS            142C. Ovary color: RHS 142B.-   Fruit and seed set: Fruit and seed set observed later in the year.-   Disease and pest/insect resistance: No disease and pest/insect    resistance observed.

COMPARISON WITH PARENTAL LINES AND KNOWN VARIETY

‘KLELE12094’ is a distinct variety of Lobelia having compact vigor andan upright growth habit and is distinguished from its parents asdescribed in Table 1.

TABLE 1 Comparison with Parental Lines Male Parent Female Parent TECHNOHEAT Characteristic ′KLELE12094′ ′B 067′ ′Upright Blue′ Flower colorBlue (no eye) Light blue with an eye Vigor Compact Medium

‘KLELE12094’ KLELE12094’ is a distinct variety of Lobelia having compactvigor and an upright growth habit is most similar to the commercialLobelia variety MAGADI ‘Compact Blue’ (patent status unknown).Differences between the varieties are described in Table 2.

TABLE 2 Comparison with Similar Variety MAGADI Characteristic′KLELE12094′ ′Compact Blue′ Vigor Compact Medium Flower color Blue Lightblue

We claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Lobelia plant designated ‘KLELE12094’ as shown and described herein. 